Man in the Mirror

THE STORY BEHIND ' Man in the Mirror '

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This is the spiritual center of the Bad album and perhaps the most powerful anthem of self-reflection in pop history. The story below details the miracle of its creation, the "background singer" who wrote it, and the massive gospel choir that took it to church.

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By 1986, the Bad album was nearing completion. Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones had a studio full of aggressive funk tracks ("Bad," "Smooth Criminal") and romantic ballads ("I Just Can't Stop Loving You"). But Quincy felt something was missing. He wanted an anthem. He wanted a song with the scale and social consciousness of "We Are the World", a song that could close stadium shows and leave people crying.

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Michael hadn't written one yet. So, Quincy put the word out to his circle of songwriters: "I need a song about the world."

The Background Singer's Miracle The song didn't come from a famous superstar writer. It came from Siedah Garrett, a young background singer who was signed to Quincy’s publishing company.

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Siedah was sitting in a writing session with composer Glen Ballard (who would later produce Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill). Glen started playing a simple, gospel-influenced chord progression on the keyboard. Siedah immediately pulled out her lyric notebook. Two years earlier, she had written down a phrase she heard someone say: "Man in the mirror." She had been saving it.

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As Glen played, the lyrics poured out of her. She wrote the first verse and chorus in about 10 minutes. The concept was simple but profound: you can't change the world until you change yourself. It wasn't about pointing fingers at politicians or hunger; it was about looking in the glass.

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Siedah and Glen recorded a demo quickly. Siedah sang the guide vocals. They were terrified to show it to Quincy Jones, knowing his standards were impossibly high.

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When Quincy finally heard the tape, he didn't say a word. He just listened. Then he picked up the phone and called Michael Jackson. He told Michael, "I think I have 'The Song'." Michael came to the studio, listened to the demo, and fell in love instantly. He asked Siedah, "Can I sing it like you?" He loved her vocal phrasing so much that he mimicked her original guide vocal almost note-for-note in the final recording.

 

To give the song the massive, spiritual lift it needed, Quincy Jones brought in the heavy artillery: The Andraé Crouch Choir, one of the most legendary gospel groups in the world.

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The choir was huge. They packed into the studio to record the backing vocals for the climax of the song. The energy in the room was electric. When the choir sings "Man in the mirror!" and "Make that change!", they are not just singing notes; they are testifying. Michael stood in the middle of them, feeding off their energy. He began to ad-lib, shouting, stomping, and clapping.

 

Musically, "Man in the Mirror" is famous for its modulation (key change).

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About two-thirds of the way through the song, after the second chorus, the music stops for a split second. Then, the word "Change!" hits, and the entire song shifts up a half-step (from G major to G# major). This technique is often used in gospel music to increase intensity, but rarely has it been used so effectively in pop. It literally lifts the listener up. It signals the moment of transformation—the moment the singer decides to stop talking and start acting.

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Michael’s vocal performance on this track is widely considered one of his best. It starts soft and reflective, almost like a whisper. By the end, he is screaming, crying, and pleading.

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This song features some of Michael’s most famous "Michael-isms." The word "Shamone" (a tribute to soul singer Mavis Staples, who used to sing "Come on" as "Sh'mon") appears here. The rhythmic grunts, the "Hee-hee," and the improvisations at the end ("Stand up! Stand up!") were all spontaneous. He wasn't just singing a pop song; he was having a religious experience on tape.

 

When it came time to make the music video, Michael made a bold decision: he wouldn't be in it.

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He felt that if he appeared in the video dancing, it would distract from the message. Instead, the video is a montage of historical footage showing the best and worst of humanity. It features images of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and the Kennedys, juxtaposed with footage of the KKK, famine in Ethiopia, and homelessness in America.

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It was a risky move for the most famous face on Earth to disappear from his own video, but it paid off. The video forced viewers to focus on the issues, not the celebrity. It remains one of the most moving music videos ever created.

 

"Man in the Mirror" became the grand finale of the Bad World Tour. It was a theatrical masterpiece. 

 

Michael would perform the song at the end of the night. As the song built to its climax, he would spin repeatedly, sometimes for 10 or 20 rotations, before dropping to his knees. The band would extend the outro for minutes while Michael ad-libbed.

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At the 1988 Grammy Awards, Michael performed the song live with a full gospel choir. It is often cited as the greatest Grammy performance of all time. He ended the song by falling to his knees and pointing to the sky, exhausted and sweating, leaving the audience in stunned silence before they erupted into a standing ovation.

 

Released on January 9, 1988, the song hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. It was the fourth consecutive #1 from the Bad album.

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Beyond the charts, "Man in the Mirror" became Michael Jackson’s defining message. After his death in 2009, it was the song most played on radio and at memorials. It encapsulates his philosophy: that music isn't just for entertainment; it is a tool for healing. It challenges every listener to look at their own reflection and ask, "What can I do?"